Manufacture of shoes



Oct. 29. A. w. DONOVAN ET AL 7 2,219,355

MANUFACTURE OF SHOES Filed Jan. 2e, 1940 2 Sheets- Sheet 1 jwerezorfi Wed @0720 van Oct. 29. 1940 A w. D'ONOVAN m 221 355 MANUFACTURE OF SHOES FiledJan. 2a, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 rea'LZ" $071,012 71/ Patented Oct. 29, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MANUFACTURE OF SHOES Alfred W. Donovan and Alfred F. Donovan,

Quincy, Mass., assignors to E. T. Wright & Company, Inc., Rockland, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Application January 26, 1940, Serial No, 315,638 4 Claims. (01. 36'71) The invention set forth in this application refollowing description and of the drawings which lates to an improvement in the manufacture of form a part thereof and in which:

shoes and more particularly to the manufacture Fig. 1 is a bottom plan View of a completed of a bottom structure or chassis which combottom structure embodying this invention;

prises briefly an insole having a depression in Fig. 2 is a bottom plan View of a last with '5 its bottom surface of predetermined contour and which the bottom structure is assembled; dimension and a complementary elevation in Fig. 3 is a sectional view of such last taken the top surface, a metatarsal pad, of one or more ng t Sect n l ne i elements, mounted in such depression, and a 4 iS a p p View Of the i o 0 t e shank iron fixed to the bottom surface of the bottom Structure; 10 insole, the head of which shank iron has a de- 5 s a c al V W a n alo t e line pression in which said pad is received and ex- -5 n ercises a supporting pressure upon the metatarsal Fig. 6 is a bottom P View Of the insole S own arch of the foot in a forward upward direction, '1 i and to the structure and formation of such Fig. 7 is an enlarged sectional view taken along metatarsal pad, all as hereinafter set forth and the s n line l-l in Fi 1 of a b tom strucclaimed. ture assembled with the outsole;

The purpose of such a bottom structure is to 8 s a p p V w O t e han i On 0f provide, in the shoe with which it is assembled, Such bottom Structure;

a support for the metatarsal arch of the wearer. 9 S c n l V ew ta e a n t e ee- 20 The support exerts a forwardly and upwardly tiOn e in F inclined pressure upon that arch, such pressure Figs- 10 and 11 are p p e Views of e being transmitted from the outer sole of the metatarsal p d u h t m t shoe through the shank iron and pad to the ine. 1 is a p rspe t v vi w f su p d taken sole. This direction of the line of pressure is from he section line l2-l2 in Fig. 10; 25

due to the fact that the point at which the 3 is an enlarged View of that p o of shank iron act upon th pad i appreciably t the bottom structure and outsole within the the rear of the point at which the pad acts upon rectangle I3 i F g. 7 the insole, Figs. 14 and 15 are bottom plan views of the A further feature of this invention resides in bottom Structure before and after the Shank iron 30 the form of the metatarsal pad which insures a is positioned; and

direct transmission of the pressure because the 16 s V eW S r t0 Fi 12 Of a moulded depression in the shank head and the depression metatal'eal P in the insole are completely filled and any gaps Y The bottom structure 01 chassis 20 shown or spaces that are left or may result from wearin the drawings includes an insole 2!, a shank 35 ing stresses are filled by the material of the pad iron a metatarsal pad 23 e e nso e and so that no breaking down of the pad will occur. Shank iron at the ball Portion of h bottom Such gaps or spaces often arise at the rear wall structure, t a tetnforce sheet layer of of the depression in the insole due to the forno 24 covermg the 1115016 and and onwhich ward and downward pressure exerted by the foot the Shank iron t 40 at that wall. Iii-accordance with this invention At the ban porno the 1s firmed that wall is given a definite slope rearwardly so l fig sgpgz fi f g ihg a thi i ezii531%??? eg ez that the bqttom of foot W111 Slide freely sion 26 at the under surface. Ihe elevation 25 thereover without meeting any appreciable reis Segmental in form, having a curved front edge 45 slstancfi- Moreover, t edge of the pad in 21 and substantially straight rear edges 28 and tact Wlth that Wall 15 tapered and extends '29 which intersect at 3B. The rear walls 3| and Yo d t portion of the D in the Shank iron 32 of the elevation extend forwardly and updepression so that it is flexible, and while the ardly from th edges 28 and 29 to meet the wall may be subjected to forward pressure, the arcuate front wall 33 which extends rearwardly 50 normal resistance of the wall, due to its angular and upwardly. The walls 3| and 32 define a construction to such pressure, will be yieldably dihedral angle 34 and with the front wall 33 supplemented by the pad. define dihedral angles 35 and 36. Thus; the These and other objects and features of the elevation may be considered as possessing the invention will appear from a consideration of the form of a shallow pyramid having a segmental 55 base and an apex 37. The inclinations of the walls 3|, 32 and 33 are so gradual that they do not materially raise the upper surface of the insole i. e. to such an extent as to affect adversely the normal movement of the foot into and out of the shoe. In addition to the elevation 25, the upper face of the insole is also provided with a depression 33 extending longitudinally from the point 33 toward the heel seat. Since the depression 28 is complementary to the elevation 25 and corresponds in all respects thereto, the .cognate elements will be designated by the same reference numerals without further description.

The elevation 25 is so formed and positioned that it supports the metatarsal arch of the foot of the wearer. This is determined by the distance 39 from the rear end of the insole to the point 30 at which the edges 28 and 29 intersect.

The metatarsal pad 23 comprises an upper portion 40 and a lower portion ii. These portions may be separate elements permanently joined together as shown in Fig. 12, or the pad may be an integral unit as shown in Fig. 16. Both portions 40 and M are segmental in contour. The outer surface of the portion 4! is formed by inclined planes, the rear wa1ls' i2 and 43 being positioned at an angle to each other and the front wall #4 having an arcuate forward edge 45. The joinder of these three walls is defined by the edges 46 and 4'! which meet at the apex 48 of the upper portion. The walls 42 and 43 meet along the edge 49 which leads downwardly and rearwardly from the apex 68 to point 50. The outer surface of the portion M is also formed by inclined planes, the rear walls 52 and 53 being positioned at an angle to each other and the front wall 54 having an arcuate forward edge 55. The joinder of these three walls is defined by the edges 56 and 5'! which meet at the apex 58 of the lower section. The walls 52 and 53 meet along the edge 59 which leads downwardly and forwardly from the apex 58. It will be noted that the upper portion M is larger than the lower portion M and that the portions are so formed and positioned that the edges 45 and are in contact, and that the walls 52 and 53 are inward of the rear edges of the Walls 42 and 43, thus exposing a plane surface 69 of the upper portion.

The pad 23 is seated in the depression 26 and held therein by any suitable means such as adhesive or cement. The upper portion M of the pad 23 is so formed and of such dimensions that the walls 42, 43 and 4 thereof register with the walls 3 I, 32 and 33 of the depression 26, the apex 48 being in contact with the apex 3'! and the plane surface 60 forming an extension of the under surface of the insole. In addition to pr viding the insole with the elevation 25 and its complementary depression 23 the edge may be channeled and the under surface out along the line to provide flaps which turned up coact to form a sewing rib 66, in accordance with the old and well known practice.

After the pad 23 has been seated in the depression 26 (see Fig. 14) a sheet or layer 24 of fabric or the like is applied to the under surface of the forepart and shank of the insole thus covering the pad 23 and forming a lining for the inner edge of the sewing rib 66 (see Fig. 15). The sheet 24 is secured to the walls 52, 53 and 5d of the lower portion and also to the plane surface 60 of the upper portion (see Figs. 7 and 13). The wall 54 of the pad and that portion of the sheet 24 which covers it are provided with indentations which serve as positioning recesses 61 for the shank iron in the manner to be described below.

The insole with the pad 23 and sheet 24 is now assembled with a last preparatory to the pulling-over operation. The last 78 (Figs. 2 and 3) is provided with a segmental depression H having rear walls 72 and 73 and front wall 74. These walls are so formed that the walls of the elevation 25 register therewith. Leading from the point 75 at which the edges '16 and W meet and extending longitudinally toward the heel is an elevation 78. The point 75 is a distance '19 from the rear end of the last which is equal to the distance 39 between the point 33 of the elevation and the rear end of the insole. Thus, by merely laying the insole on the bottom of the last with the elevation 25 in register with the depression TI and the depression 38 in register with the elevation 78, the insole is accurately positioned transversely and longitudinally of the last. Since the slope of the walls 3| and 32 of the insole and the walls 12 and 13 of the last with which they register is quite considerable, e. g., of an order of 30, an abutment is provided adequate to resist rearward movement of the insole on the last during the pulling-over movement.

Since the pad 23 had been seated in the depression 26 before the insole was assembled with the last, the depression H is, as pointed out above, accurately formed to receive the elevation 25 without allowing any appreciable play. Heretofore, it has been the practice in the manufacture of shoes having a metatarsal arch support to assemble the insole with the last and thereafter to mount the metatarsal pad in the depression of the insole. In order to insure a proper mounting and locating of the pad, pressure is required which is transmitted to the walls of the depression. The depression in the last was consequently made somewhat larger than the elevation of the insole to allow sufhcient play so that the insole elevation walls may yield in response to such pressure and the material forming such insole be not injured thereby.

The shank iron 32 is now mounted upon the insole. Such iron includes a trianguiarly formed depression in the upper face at the head of the iron and a groove 8| extending longitudinally from the apex 82 of the'depression toward the rear end and is provided at the head end with upturned prongs 83. The shank iron is located properly upon the insole by inserting the prongs 83 in the recesses 61 and placing the groove 8! over the longitudinal rib formed at the under surface of the insole by the moulding of the depression 38 therein. Nails through the holes 84 hold the shank iron in this position. The depression 80 in the head of the shank iron is so formed that the iron, when properly mounted on the insole, bears against the walls 52, 53 and 54 of the lower portion of the pad 23 and the apex 58 of that portion rests in the apex 82 of the depression 80. A flap 85 fixed to the under surface of the head of the shank iron as by rivets passed through the, holes 86 and also by a suitable adhesive covers the portion of the pad 23 not received within the depression 83. The flap 85 is usually secured to the covering fabric 24 by adhesive, to assist in holding the iron in place.

The shoe is now completed in any well known and desired manner to provide it with an outer sole 9!) which, as is clearly shown in Figs. 7 and 13, bears upon the flap 85 carried by the head of the shank iron.

It will be noted that, as indicated by the arrow 9| in Fig. 13, the pressure of the pad 23 against that portion of the insole below the metatarsal arch of the foot acts in a forward upward direction. This direction is due to the fact that the apex 48 of the upper portion of the pad, by which pressure is applied to the insole at the apex 38 and thence to the arch, is located ahead of the apex 58 of the lower portion of the pad which receives the pressure set up by the shank iron. It will be also noted that the apex 58 is materially in advance of the rear edges of the upper portion of the pad, and that such edges are supported by the body of the shank iron in the rear of the pressure exerting head thereof. These edges and the plane surface 60 of the upper portion of the pad are thus held firmly in position in the insole, and since they do not directly transmit pressure to the arch, there is not only no tendency for them to shift in the depression but, also due to the relative thinness of these parts, they remain firmly in contact with the under surface of the insole and resist any forward pressure of the foot tending to break down the elevation 25 of the insole.

We claim:

1. A shoe bottom structure comprising an insole, a metatarsal pad and a shank iron, said pad having an upper and a lower portion each portion having an apex in its exposed surface, said insole having a depression in which the upper portion of the pad is received and said shank iron having a depression in which the lower portion of the pad is received, the apex of the upper portion being forward of the apex of the lower portion thereby the direction of pressure is forwardly and upwardly through the pad,

2. A shoe bottom structure comprising an insole, a metatarsal pad and a shank iron, said pad having an upper and a lower portion each portion having an apex in its exposed surface, said insole having a depression in which the upper portion of the pad is received and said shank iron having a depression in which the lower portion of the pad is received, the upper portion of the pad being larger than the lower portion and the apex of the lower portion being intermediate the apex of the upper portion and the rear edge thereof.

3. A shoe bottom structure comprising an insole, a metatarsal pad and a shank iron, said pad having an upper and a lower portion each portion having an apex in its exposed surface, said insole having a depression in which the upper portion of the pad is received and said shank iron having a depression in which the lower portion of the pad is received, the upper portion of the pad extending rearwardly of the bottom portion and over the shank iron rearwardly of the depression therein.

4. A metatarsal pad having upper and lower portions, each portion being generally segmental in contour and including a front wall having an arcuate forward edge and a pair of rear walls in angular relation to each, the three said walls being inclined and meeting to define an apex, the apex of the lower portion being intermediate the apex of the upper portion and the rear edge thereof, the upper portion being larger than the lower portion and the forward edges being in contact while the rear edges of the upper portion extend beyond the rear edges of the lower portion.

ALFRED W. DONOVAN. A R D F- DO AN, 

